PSNI data breaches 'impacted confidence and reputation,' says Policing Board chair

The chair of the Northern Ireland Policing Board has announced that an “independently-led end-to-end review” of the circumstances surrounding recent PSNI data breaches has been commissioned. It comes after personal data on all serving members of the PSNI was mistakenly published earlier this month in response to a Freedom of Information request.

Details of the 9,483 people released included the surname and first initial of every employee, their rank or grade, where they are based and the unit they work in.

A number of other data breaches have since come to light, including the loss of a police officer’s laptop and notebook which contained details of 42 officers and members of staff after the items fell from a moving vehicle last week. Northern Ireland Policing Board chair Deirdre Toner said: “This breach and the subsequent breaches have damaged the reputation of the service and impacted the confidence of officers, staff and others in the service’s ability to protect personal information.”

She said the board retained the confidence of the board, describing exchanges as "crunchy" in Tuesday's meeting.

Chief Constable Simon Byrne left the meeting without commenting to awaiting media.

In a statement afterwards, Mr Byrne said he recognises the gravity of the situation and the challenges ahead.

Ms Toner said “it is a crisis time” for public confidence in the PSNI.

“It’s been a long day,” Ms Toner told reporters after the meeting, adding that a “wide range of issues” were discussed. “It was constructive, proactive. Yes, it was certainly crunchy. There’s no doubt about that.” Ms Toner added: “The chief constable’s continued leadership has not been called into question by the board at this time. “That’s the position of the board at this point in time. “It’s not that confidence can change, and as I said it’s not an open cheque book, as we say. “But we need to focus on systems now, not on individuals.”

She added: “These data breaches will be a standing agenda item on the monthly public and private accountability sessions with the Chief Constable for as long as as is necessary so that progress on dealing with all the consequences from the breaches – including support mechanisms and risk assessments for police officers and staff – can be tracked and assessed. “The Chief Constable retains the confidence of the board to lead the service and the senior team in the wide-ranging programme of work which has been initiated to address all aspects of the data breaches to ensure appropriate support mechanisms are in place for police officers and staff. “On effective implementation, the board wants to reach a point where we can assure all PSNI officers and staff and the wider public that every step necessary has been taken to deal with the threats, risks and harms arising from this breach, and that everything possible has been done to prevent a reoccurrence.”

The end-to-end review will be led by Assistant Commissioner Pete O’Doherty, the National Police Chiefs Council lead officer for information assurance, and supported by a specialist team.

It will look at the process and actions leading to the breach and if there were any organisational, governance or management issues that allowed the breach to happen.

Ms Toner said it will identify any action required to prevent further data breaches and build more robust risk mitigation systems.

She said: “The review team have been tasked to have an initial report back to the board within one month. A final report is expected by the end of November and will be made available for public release.”

She said these measures were essential to “help rebuild trust and confidence” in the PSNI.

The board will put in place monitoring measures to ensure “effective implementation of the recommendations” which stem from the review.

Ms Toner added: “While much remains to be done, the board acknowledges the comprehensive response that has been mobilised and delivered by the PSNI.”

Asked if Chief Constable Simon Byrne should have spoken to media after meeting with the Northern Ireland Policing Board, chair Deirdre Toner said: “Today was about getting the board together at a critical time to get the board to agree where we were going to go next and what that would look like and the scrutiny around that. “The chief has been in touch and has done media, and has done from an operational perspective and a safety perspective, and a community safety perspective and a security perspective. “Our job is to look at the oversight and look at how that’s going to roll out. “It’s defined roles in terms of what we do.”

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